Winding machine

ABSTRACT

A winding machine, of the vertical type having double winding drums and a spindle cradled between the winding drums to frictionally drive a web onto the spindle, is provided with an automatically operated power lift mechanism on the spindle. As the roll accumulates on the spindle and its weight increases, the lift mechanism offsets a predetermined part of the weight of the roll so that it maintains a condition of optimum pressure on the web being fed between the winding drums and the roll. The same lift mechanism lifts the finished roll off the winding drums to unwind part of the web from the roll so that the web can be conveniently severed above the drums, thus leaving ample web to start a new roll. When the machine is in operation, an automatic guard shields the nip between the roll and the winding drum which is exposed to the operator.

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Orrin H. Besserdich Green Bay, Wis. 798,712

Feb. 12, 1969 Mar. 9, 1971 FMC Corporation San Jose, Calif.

WINDING MACHINE 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

u.s. Cl... Int. Cl Field of Search References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 9/1963 Patterson, Jr. et al.

3,282,526 11/1966 Daly 3,306,547 2/1967 Reidetal PrimaryExaminer-Leonard D. Christian AttorneysF. W. Anderson and C. E. Trippmechanism lifts the finished roll off the winding drums to unwind partof the web from the roll so that the web can be conveniently severedabove the drums, thus leaving ample web to start a new roll. When themachine is in operation, an automatic guard shields the nip between theroll and the winding drum which is exposed to the operator.

PATENTEDMAR 9197: 3568,5144

sum 1 BF 4 INVENTOR. ORRI N H. BESSERDIOH ATTORNEYS PATENIED MAR 91971SHEET 2 BF Q PATENTED HAR 9 |97| SHEET BF 4 wmnmc MACI-HNE BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION u The present invention concerns winding machines, andmore particularly to drum winders for paper and the like. In the priorart, a vertical winding machine with double winding drums is usuallyprovided with devices which are intended to control tension andfrictional driving contact on the web. This type of control isparticularly important in the rewinding of sanitary tissue paper intolarge diameter, uniform density mill rolls, because the end product mustbe as large and soft as possible. Thus, the mill roll winding operationmust not tension or compact the fibers in the web such that successivewinding and other operations cannot attain the desired product. Whileall of the factors which affect the web quality are known problems inthe prior art, the practical, structural solution of the problems areoften relatedto the cost and complexity of the winding machines,especially if the machines are fully adjustable for handling a varietyof different paper stocks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A power mechanism and control circuit provide acontinuously and automatically variable force lifting a part of theweight of a mill roll being wound on the core shaft to maintain optimumpressure on the incoming web traveling between the mill roll and awinding drum supporting the roll. Another aspect of the invention isthat the power mechanism unrolls a length of web from a finished roll sothat the web can be severed from a convenient location and still leaveample free web to start the next roll. A further feature is an automaticnip guard when the machine is used in a winding operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation of thewinding machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1. MG. 3 is avertical section taken along lines 3-3 on FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a schematicdiagram of the air control circuit. FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrammaticoperational views similar to FIG. l, and respectively illustrate thebeginning of a new mill roll, and the removal of a completed mill roll.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The winding machine 10 FIGS. Iand 2) may be coupled to various web feed means such as the dischargeend portion 12 of a printing machine, not shown, which feeds a printedweb W of tissue over a discharge roller 14. From the discharge roller M,the web W is fed into the winding machine 10 around idler rollers 16 andI8, and around driven rollers 20 and 22 which are located between theidler rollers. Conventional and selectively operable air operatedslitters 23, one of which is shown in FIG. 3, cooperate with the roller22 to slice the web longitudinally when required. Fed upward over adriven winding drum 24 which coacts with a second driven winding drum26, the web is initially secured to a paperboard core tube 28 mounted ona winding spindle 29 and cradled in the nip of the winding drums. Beingthus driven by frictional engagement with the winding drums, a mill rollR is wound on the core tube 28 in a manner similar to other doublewinding drum vertical winding machines, such as the machine disclosed inU.S. Pat, No. 3,282,526. As later described in detail, the subjectmatter of the present invention includes automatically operable powermechanism which, after the roll R attains a predetermined diameter (andhence weight), continuously relieves part of the weight of the enlargingroll so as to maintain predetermined frictional engagement with thewinding drums 24 and 26, and to provide a predetermined compression ofthe fibers in the web being wound on the drum.

With more detailed reference to the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,the winding machine 10 includes laterally spaced upright posts 30 and32, and similar posts 34 and 36 which are interconnected by horizontalupper and lower frame members 38 and 40, and transverse beams 42. Apower shaft 44 drives the winding machine 10 from whatever machine isused to deliver the web W. The power shaft is driven in timed relationwith the web and powers a gear box 46.

From the gear box, power is transmitted by a cog belt and pulley unit 48to a stub shaft 50. By means of a cog belt drive train 51 and a V-beltdrive train 53, the shaft 50 rotates the driven rollers 20 and 22. Agear 52 on the shaft 50 meshes with a larger gear 54 on a stub shaft 56.Also secured to the shaft 56 is a variable speed belt pulley 58 whichdrives the winding drums 24 and 26. For this purpose, a variable speedbelt transmission 60 is mounted on the shaft 61 of the winding drum 24,and a similar transmission unit 62 is mounted on the shaft 63 of thewinding drum 26. A variable speed belt 64 is trained around the pulleysof the transmissions and the pulley 58, and each transmission isprovided with a static handwheel 66 for adjusting the driiing speed ofits associated winding drum shaft while the machine is in operation.

In the usual manner, the web is maintained under tension by running thewinding drum 26 at a peripheral speed slightly faster than the speed ofthe incoming web W, and the winding drum 24 at a peripheral speedslightly faster than the drum 26. Since the output speeds of thetransmissions are continuously variable, it is relatively easy for anexperienced operator to precisely adjust the winding drum speeds to suitany of a number of different web materials and operating conditions. Thetransmissions function in a similar manner when the winding machine 10is used for unwinding operations, as later mentioned.

Secured to the inside faces of the posts 30 and 32 (FIG. 2) are T-shapedtracks 70 and 72 which are respectively engaged by vertically slidablecarriages 74 and 76. Each carriage supports the adjacent end portion ofthe winding spindle 29 that extends through the paperboard core tube 28(FIG. 1) of the mill roll R. As previously indicated, a feature of thepresent invention is that the mill rollbeing wound on the windingspindle is upwardly biased to offset a part of the weight of the millroll so that a predetermined nip pressure is maintained with the windingdrums 24 and 26.

This result is obtained bymeans including a pair of air cylinders 80,each of which is fixed to the frame structure of the winding machine 10,and has its piston rod 82 coupled to one of the carriages 74 or 76. Eachair cylinder is provided with an air inlet port at 84 which admits airunder pressure to retract its piston rod while a mill roll R is beingwound, and thereby lift the winding spindle 29. The control circuit forthe air cylinders is later described, and governs the air pressuresupplied to the cylinders so that the nip pressure between the mill rolland the winding drums is maintained within a narrow range.

Vertical motion of the carriages provides rotary motion of a control cam86 (FIG. 1). Thus, the carriage 76 forms a link in a chain loop 88 whichextends upward from the carriage over a sprocket 90, the chain' beingtrained around three guide sprockets 92 and returning to an attachmentpoint on the lower side of the carriage 76. An identical chain loop andsprocket unit 94 at the other side of the machine is coupled to thecarriage 74. The twochain loops are interconnected for simultaneous,uniform motion by mounting the two transversely aligned sprockets 92nearest the gear box 46 on a common shaft 96. All of the other sprocketmounting shafts are stub shafts so as to permit vertical removal of thecompleted mill roll.

As best shown in FIG. 3, a gear 98 is secured to the shaft 96 and mesheswith a gear I00. Gear 100 is mounted on a stub shaft controlled by aratchet I02 and a pawl 104. The ratchet and pawl allow counterclockwiserotation of the gear 100, but must be released by actuation of a handlever I06 foropposite rotation of the gear 100. Further, the gear 100can be rotated counterclockwise by a handwheel 1661 which is mountedoutside the adjacent frame member 420. It will be noted that rotation ofthe handwheel 168 will lift the carriages 74 and 76, and

that the pawl and ratchet will elevationally retain the carriages whenthe handwheel is released.

The utility of the foregoing operation is to lift the winding spindle 29to an accessible position in the starting of a new mill roll. Anotherimportant feature concerning the described carriage and handwheelarrangement, and later described, is that a small amount of torqueapplied to the handwheel 108 when-a mill roll has been completedenergizes the air cylinders 80 to lift the mill roll free of the windingdrums 24 and 26. This results in an unwinding of the mill roll so thatthe web above the winding drums can be severed from a convenientlocation and still leave ample free web to start a new roll. In contrastto this, many prior art winding machines require severing the web belowthe winding drums an almost inaccessible location a nd then requirebriefly running the machine supplying the web in order to advancesufficient web for securing its free end to another core tube for a newroll.

With reference again to the control cam 86 (FIG. 1), the adjacentsprocket 90 has a common shaft with a gear train 110 which drives thecam. By this means, the rotative position of the control cam is afunction of the elevational position of the winding spindle 29. Sincethe spindle position is directly related to the diameter of the millroll R, the rotative position of the control cam 86 is thusproportionate to the weight of the mill roll. This concept is utilizedto adjust the air pressure admitted to the air cylinder ports 84 so thatthe pressure on the web between the mill roll and the winding drums islimited to only a part of the weight of the mill roll, in the'presentinstance about 200 pounds for a tissue web intended for facial tissuesand the like.

Rotation of the control cam 86 is translated into linear motion by alever 112 which is pivoted to the frame member 38 at 114 and has afollower roller 116 on the edge of the cam. A cable 118, adjustablelengthwise by a turnbuckle 119, is secured to the other end of the lever112 and to the actuator of a motion transmitter MT. The motiontransmitter, one suitable type of which is Model 74 N manufactured bythe Moore Products Co. of Spring House, Pennsylvania, is arranged todeliver a 3-15 p.s.i. output of air pressure according to the linearposition of its actuator. This pressure, through other suitable controldevices, alters the pressure of the air delivered to the air cylinders80. Before describing the control circuit of FIG. 4, reference is madeto the automatic nip guard structure illustrated in FIG. 3.

The winding machine (FIG. 3) can be used for reverse operation when itis required to rewind mill rolls. In this case certain gear trainchanges, not illustrated, are made which results in the winding drumsrotating clockwise as shown in FIG. 3 while the input shaft 44 (FIG. 1)rotates the drive pulley 48 in its same clockwise direction. An inherentdanger in reverse operation is that the nip at 120 between the mill rollR and the winding drum 24 tends to draw workers limbs or clothinginward. To guard against such hazards, a nip guard shield 122 isactivated by the manual operation of an air valve, not shown, to projectthe piston rod of a double acting air cylinder 124. The air cylinder ismounted on the inside of the near frame member 40 and has a rack 126secured to its piston rod. A cam follower roller 128 is mounted on theend of the rack, and when the air cylinder 124 is energized asdescribed, the roller bears against the edge of a face cam 130. Therotative position of the cam 130 varies in direct ratio to the size ofthe mill roll. For moving the cam, the adjacent sprocket 92 which isrotated by the chain loop 88 rotates a gear 132 that meshes with a gear134 on the same shaft as the cam. The cam 130 thus moves the rack 126endwise as the mill roll is payed out. Rack 126, in turn, rotates anassociated pinion 136 that is secured to a cross shaft 138.

At each end portion of the cross shaft, a chain and sprocket drive unit1410 (FIG. 2) rotates the nip guard shield 122 so that its upper edge142 (FIG. 3) closely follows the receding face of the mill roll R andprevents anything from entering the nip it guards. The hubs 143 (FIG. 2)of the sprockets which are attached to the shield 122 are provided withinternal bearings,

not shown, so that rotation of the winding drum shaft 61 is independentof movement of the shield. When use of the nip guard is not required,air is directed to actuate the drive unit and thus the other inlet portof the air cylinder 124 to retract the nip guard shield and hold it inretracted position.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the essential elements of the automaticcontrol circuit for controlling pressure on the web between the windingdrums and the mill roll, either in the winding or unwinding modes. Highpressure air (about 80 p.s.i.) is transmitted from a factory supply line144 to an ON- OF valve 146. Valve 146 controls the admission of highpressure air, through a line M8, to the previously mentioned motiontransmitter MT, and to an amplifying relay AR. A suitable relay isdesignated Model 66 BA6 of the aforementioned Moore Products Co. Thepressure supplied through the line 148 is arranged to be modified in anoutput line 150 of the amplifying relay according to the pressuresupplied to the relay through an input line 152. Output line 150communicates with the inlet ports 84 of the air cylinders 80 through aneedle valve 154 and an ON-OF valve 156. Valve 156 has a bleed port toatmosphere in its OFF position to exhaust any air trapped in the aircylinders 80; this allows the carriages 74 and 76 to be lowered bygravity following the removal of a full mill roll R.

Air in the input line 152 of the amplifying relay AR is controlled bythe motion transmitter MT and a biasing relay BR, a Moore Products Co.Model No. 681. Thus, the motion transmitter MT is connected to thebiasing relay BR through a line 158 having a needle valve 160, thelatter valve being bypassed by a line 162 from the motion transmitter.For adjusting the system, pressure gauges P1, P2 and P3 are installed inthe lines 150,152 and 162.

The motion transmitter MT is internally adjustable to deliver an outputpressure of 315 p.s.i. in the line 158 according to the linear positionof its actuator as determined by the cable 118. This output signal iscapable of being adjustably biased by the biasing relay BR from l4p.s.i. to 22 p.s.i. The amplifying relay AR produces an output airpressure in the line 150 which is 6 times the input signal suppliedthrough the line 152 by the biasing relay BR.

Adjustment of the air control circuit is of course determined by anumber of factors, such as the diameter of the air cylinders 80, theweight of the mill roll at various diameters, the weight of thecarriages 74, 76 and the winding spindle 29, and so forth.

In the present instance, the following are the significantconsiderations. The cam 86 is provided with a profile based on afinished mill roll diameter of 60 inches and is arranged to begin movingthe actuator of the motion transmitter MT when the mill roll isapproximately 10 inches in diameter because at smaller diameters thecombined weight of the roll, carriage and spindle does not exceed thedesired pressure of 200 pounds on the web between the mill roll and thewinding drums.

Next, the weight of a finished mill roll plus the carriage assemblyminus the desired 200 pounds web pressure is determined. The airpressure in the air cylinders 80 to lift the last determined weight isthen calculated. A similar calculation is made for a mill roll of 24inches in diameter, to facilitate adjustment, as will be presentlydescribed. j

The valve 156 which controls air to the air cylinders 80 is turned offand the valve 146 is turned on to supply air to the system. By rotatingthe handwheel 108 (FIG. 3) the winding spindle 29 is elevated to aposition equivalent to a 24 inch diameter mill roll. The ratchet andpawl 102, 104 holds the spindle in position.

Tumbuckle 119 is then adjusted to obtain a reading of 5 p.s.i. on thegauge P3. The biasing relay BR is then adjusted to obtain on gauge P1the previously calculated pressure for the air cylinders 80 to lift a 24inch mill roll. The winding spindle 29 is then raised to a positioncorresponding to a 60 inch mill roll. As the spindle is raised to thisposition, the control cam 86 moves the actuator of the motiontransmitter MT to increase the pressure in the line 150 and indicated onthe gauge Pl. Thus, the gauge Pl should indicate the previouslycalculated pressure to lift a 60 inch mill roll when the winding spindle29 is at that elevation. If the last'determined pressure is slightlyoff, the setting of an adjustment screw of the motion transmitter MT ischanged until the pressure is correct, and the system is ready toautomatically perfonn its function when the valve 156 is opened and thewinding'machine is placed in operation. These functions, and thepreviously mentioned lifting of a finished mill roll to obtain clearanceto sever the web above the winding drums 24 and 26, are diagrammaticallyillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. I

' To summarize the operation above set forth, a new mill roll R (FIG. 5)is wound by frictional contact with the driven winding drums 24 and 26.As the roll increases in size, the winding spindle 29 moves upward andmoves the chain loop 88 clockwise because the spindle carriages 74 and76 are connected-in the loop. This turns the sprocket 90 clockwise, andthe gear train 110 thus rotates the cam 86 counterclockwise so that itsfollower roller 116 moves away from the rotational axis of the cam.

Lever 112 is thereby pivoted in a direction pulling upward on the cable118, and the actuator of the motion transmitter MT is moved a likeamount. By means of the FIG. 4 control circuit, the motion transmitterincreases the pressure of the air admitted to the ports 84 of the aircylinders 80 so that the pressure of the mill roll against the windingdrums is maintained at a predetermined weight, suchas the 200 poundpressure used in the present example for tissue rolls.

It will be recalled that the handwheel 108 (FIG 6) can be rotated byhand, when the winding machine 10 is not operating, to elevationallyadjust the winding spindle 29. This capability provides a'unique featurewhenthe mill roll R is fully wound and ready'to be removed from themachine. With the winding drums at rest, the operatorbiases thehandwheel in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6. Thistends to raise the winding spindle 29 and therefore relieves part of theweight of the mill roll R. Since the mill roll, in effect, weighs only200 pounds, and the mechanical advantage of the geared handwheel easilyprovides a force which will lift that weight, a relatively small torqueapplied to the handwheel elevates the mill roll. In so doing, however,the cam 86 rotates and further adjusts the actuator of the motiontransmitter MT. Thus, lifting power is immediately applied to the millroll by the air cylinders 80, and continues to be applied while thehandwheel is turned. By this means, the relatively heavy mill roll,carriage and spindle assembly is elevated with very little effort to thefull stroke of the air cylinders 80. Meanwhile, the mill roll is free toturn so that a freely accessible web portion 170 is unwound from theroll and exposed .between the winding drum 24 and the mill roll. Thisweb portion is cut, the mill roll is removed, and the web left exposedabove the winding drums is secured to a new core tube to begin anotherroll.

It is believed apparent that the winding machine 10 has uniqueadvantages over some presently used winding machines, one advantagebeing in the automatic nip pressure control which is achieved in arelatively simple and inexpensive manner. A further and correlatedadvantage is the provision of continuously variable belt-typetransmissions to drive the winding drums at any selected speed, forwardor reverse, relative to the speed of the incoming web. In addition, avery important operational advantage is the feature which facilitatesrapid elevation of the mill roll for removal, and at the same timeexposes a portion of the web for free access and cutting without joggingoperation of the machine supplying the web.

present invention has been herein shown and described, it will beapparent that modification and variation may be made without departingfrom what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a web winder having a frame, a pair of closely interspaced drivenwindin drums mounted in said frame, a winding spindle supporte by saiddrums and continuously translatable in response to the diameter of theweb roll wound thereon by pressure engagement with said winding drums,lifting means for supporting said winding; spindle while maintaining theaxis of said winding spindle substantially parallel to the axes of saidwinding drums, control means responsive to the diameter of the web rollfor regulating said lifting means to offset part of the nip pressurebetween said web and said winding drums, said spindle lifting meansincluding power means governed by said control means operable to apply alifting force to said spindle, said control means being arranged toproportionately increase the lifting force applied by said power meansas the spindle is translated in response to the diameter change in theweb roll, and manually operable means for lifting said spindle tofacilitate removal of the web roll, said control means being actuated bythe manual lifting of said spindle to apply a lifting force to thespindle in excess of the similar force manually applied and resulting inpowered movement of the completed roll away from said winding drums.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said spindle is free to rotatein an unwinding direction, the unsevered and immobile unrolled web thusanchoring the completed roll so that the rolled web pays out anaccessible web portion between the winding drums and the roll, said webportion when severed leaving ample exposed web to begin a new roll.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each winding drum is poweredby a continuously variable belt transmission to facilitate adjustment ofthe tension in the web while the web is being wound on said spindle.

4. In a web winder including a pair of driven winding drums, a windingspindle cradled between said drums with a web rolled thereon infrictional contact with said drums, power assisted spindle supportingmeans, and control means connected in lifting relation to said spindlesupporting means and responsive to the diameter of the web roll foradjusting said spindle supporting means to regulate the nip pressure ofthe web with said drums, the improvement comprising manually operablemeans connected in lifting relation to said spindle supporting means tofacilitate removal of a full roll accumulated on said spindle, saidcontrol means being actuated by the manual moving of said spindle toenergize said power-assisted spindle supporting means and apply alifting force to the spindle in excess of the similar force manuallyapplied, said latter force resulting in powered movement of thecompleted roll away from said winding drums.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 and a nip guard for shielding the nipbetween the roll and the winding drum which is exposed to an operator,said nip guard being angularly movable about the axis of the exposed oneof said winding drums, and mechanical control means connected to saidnip guard and responsive to the changing positions of said spindle forcontinuously angularly positioning said nip guard to shield the nipbetween the exposed winding drum and the roll, said control meansincluding a cam rotatably positioned according to the diameter of theroll, a rack linearly positioned by said cam, and a pinion gear engagedwith the rack and arranged to angularly position said nip guard.

1. In a web winder having a frame, a pair of closely interspaced drivenwinding drums mounted in said frame, a winding spindle supported by saiddrums and continuously translatable in response to the diameter of theweb roll wound thereon by pressure engagement with said winding drums,lifting means for supporting said winding spindle while maintaining theaxis of said winding spindle substantially parallel to the axes of saidwinding drums, control means responsive to the diameter of the web rollfor regulating said lifting means to offset part of the nip pressurebetween said web and said winding drums, said spindle lifting meansincluding power means governed by said control means operable to apply alifting force to said spindle, said control means being arranged toproportionately increase the lifting force applied by said power meansas the spindle is translated in response to the diameter change in theweb roll, and manually operable means for lifting said spindle tofacilitate removal of the web roll, said control means being actuated bythe manual lifting of said spindle to apply a lifting force to thespindle in excess of the similar force manually applied and resulting inpowered movement of the completed roll away from said winding drums. 2.Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said spindle is free to rotate inan unwinding direction, the unsevered and immobile unrolled web thusanchoring the completed roll so that the rolled web pays out anaccessible web portion between the winding drums and the roll, said webportion when severed leaving ample exposed web to begin a new roll. 3.Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each winding drum is powered by acontinuously variable belt transmission to facilitate adjustment of thetension in the web while the web is being wound on said spindle.
 4. In aweb winder including a pair of driven winding drums, a winding spindlecradled between said drums with a web rolled thereon in frictionalcontact with said drums, power assisted spindle supporting means, andcontrol means connected in lifting relation to said spindle supportingmeans and responsive to the diameter of the web roll for adjusting saidspindle supporting means to regulate the nip pressure of the web withsaid drums, the improvement comprising manually operable means connectedin lifting relation to said spindle supporting means to facilitateremoval of a full roll accumulated on said spindle, said control meansbeing actuated by the manual moving of said spindle to energize saidpower-assisted spindle supporting means and apply a lifting force to thespindle in excess of the similar force manually applied, said latterforce resulting in powered movement of the completed roll away from saidwinding drums.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 and a nip guard forshielding the nip between the roll and the winding drum which is exposedto an operator, said nip guard being angularly movable about the axis ofthe exposed one of said winding drums, and mechanical control meansconnected to said nip guard and responsive to the changing positions ofsaid spindle for continuously angularly positioning said nip guard toshield the nip between the exposed winding drum and the roll, saidcontrol means including a cam rotatably positioned according to thediameter of the roll, a rack linearly positioned by said cam, and apinion gear engaged with the rack and arranged to angularly positionsaid nip guard.